DEHI KOZI, Tajikistan -- Three Afghan citizens and a Tajik man have been killed in a hostage-taking incident in Tajikistan's south.
Local sources say three armed Afghans came on March 21 to the village of Dehi Kozi in Tajikistan's Shuroobod district near the Tajik-Afghan border and took four local citizens hostage, trying to take them to Afghanistan.
The sources say the hostages resisted their captors, killing all three of them.
One of the hostages was also killed in the incident.
An official with Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security confirmed to RFE/RL that the incident took place but declined to give any details.
Locals say armed Afghans regularly enter Tajik territory to abduct local citizens for ransom.
They reportedly force Tajiks to pay them money they owe for selling illegal drugs obtained from Afghans.
Local sources say three armed Afghans came on March 21 to the village of Dehi Kozi in Tajikistan's Shuroobod district near the Tajik-Afghan border and took four local citizens hostage, trying to take them to Afghanistan.
The sources say the hostages resisted their captors, killing all three of them.
One of the hostages was also killed in the incident.
An official with Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security confirmed to RFE/RL that the incident took place but declined to give any details.
Locals say armed Afghans regularly enter Tajik territory to abduct local citizens for ransom.
They reportedly force Tajiks to pay them money they owe for selling illegal drugs obtained from Afghans.
